Tour of Britain Men: Lewis Askey powers up Michaelgate cobbled climb to win Classics-style opening stage in Lincoln

To create parity with the women’s race, this year’s Tour of Britain Men reduced from six to five stages, with Wednesday’s opening day starting and finishing in Lincoln.

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The 156.1km race took the peloton north, into the hills of the Lincolnshire Wolds before heading south to tackle four full laps of a circuit around the city centre. Featuring the narrow cobbled climb of Michaelgate, the race used the similar circuit as the British National Series race, the Lincoln GP, though the finish line was just outside the city centre, on a flat road, adding a different dynamic to the lap.

After a lengthy neutralised section which took the peloton outside the city limits, the attacks began the moment the flag dropped, with riders from the race’s eight third division Continental teams particularly aggressive.

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After 10km six riders escaped, Michal Schuran (United Shipping), Jonah Killy (Tarteletto-Isorex), Oscar Schempp (Bike Aid), Simen Evertsen-Hegreberg (Lucky Sport), Asger Røjbek (BHS-PL Beton Bornholm) and the only British rider in the group, Adam Lewis (APS Pro Cycling by Team Cadence Cyclery) quickly building a lead of 1:30.

Behind them three of the five WorldTour teams in the race, Netcompany Ineos, Soudal-QuickStep and Decathlon CMA CGM set to work holding the leading group close, the deficit settling around 1:20.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

By the time the break reached the the back end of the circuit for the first time, they had lost two of their number, and with Netcompany-Ineos upping the pace behind, their lead was down to 30 seconds at the top of the climb. They were eventually caught towards the end of the first full lap, with 42km remaining.

On the second ascent of Michaelgate, Askey put in a huge attack, the NSN rider drawing a group of 12 clear, and with all the WorldTour teams represented, cooperation behind was difficult. By the time that group reached the finish line with two laps to go, they led a chasing group of four by almost one minute.

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On the penultimate ascent of the cobbled climb, Rick Pluimers (Tudor Pro Cycling) upped the pace, though the group remained together, their lead at 1:30 as the final 13km circuit began.

Askey executed his plan to perfection to take his first win of 2026 with an assured ride up a climb he surely knows well, claiming the leader’s jersey too.

Askey coming over the top of the climb (Image credit: Getty Images)

With such a punchy circuit to close the race, there were some huge time gaps on the general classification, with the 12th placed rider over two minutes down with four stages to go.

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Stage 1 results

Position

Rider (Country) Team

Time Gap

1

Lewis Askey (GBr) NSN Cycling Team

4:02:44

2

Filippo Ganna (Ita) Netcompany Ineos

0:00:02

3

Tim Wellens (Bel) UAE Team Emirates-XRG

Row 2 – Cell 2

4

Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Soudal-QuickStep

0:00:09

5

Daan Hoole (Ned) Decathlon CMA CGM

Row 4 – Cell 2

6

Matteo Trentin (Ita) Tudor Pro Cycling

Row 5 – Cell 2

7

Florian Vermeersch (Bel) UAE Team Emirates-XRG

0:00:11

8

Elliot Rowe (GBr) Team Visma | Lease A Bike Development

0:00:19

9

Rick Pluimers (Ned) Tudor Pro Cycling

Row 8 – Cell 2

10

Paul Wright (NZl) Modern Adventure

0:00:26

11

Kim Alexander Heiduk (Ger) Netcompany Ineos

0:00:55

12

Mark Donovan (GBr) Pinarello-Q36.5

0:02:06

13

Nils Politt (Ger) UAE Team Emirates-XRG

0:02:09

14

Micheal Ben Wiggins (GBr) Hagens Berman Jayco

0:02:15

15

Robbe Ghys (Bel) Decathlon CMA CGM

0:02:31

16

Fabio Christen (Swi) Pinarello-Q36.5

0:03:17

17

Elias Maris (Bel) Team Flanders- Baloise

Row 16 – Cell 2

18

Yohann Simon (Fra) St Michel- Preference Home- Auber93

Row 17 – Cell 2

19

Alessandro Pinarello (Ita) NSN Cycling Team

Row 18 – Cell 2

20

Boas Lysgaard (Den) Bhs-Pl Beton Bornholm

Row 19 – Cell 2

21

Dylan Vandenstorme (Bel) Team Flanders- Baloise

Row 20 – Cell 2

22

Siebe Deweirdt (Bel) Team Flanders- Baloise

Row 21 – Cell 2

23

Xandro Meurisse (Bel) Pinarello-Q36.5

Row 22 – Cell 2

24

Axel Källberg (Fin) Lucky Sport Cycling Team

Row 23 – Cell 2

25

Edgar David Cadena Martinez (Mex) Team Storck- Mrw Bau

Row 24 – Cell 2

26

Yorben Lauryssen (Bel) Tarteletto- Isorex

Row 25 – Cell 2

27

Théo Delacroix (Fra) St Michel- Preference Home- Auber93

Row 26 – Cell 2

28

Henri Vandenabeele (Bel) Team Flanders- Baloise

Row 27 – Cell 2

29

Ilan Van Wilder (Bel) Soudal-QuickStep

Row 28 – Cell 2

30

Vilmer Ekman (Swe) Lucky Sport Cycling Team

Row 29 – Cell 2

31

Lucas Beneteau (Fra) St Michel- Preference Home- Auber93

Row 30 – Cell 2

32

Nikiforos Arvanitou (Gre) Team United Shipping

Row 31 – Cell 2

33

Jacob Eriksson (Swe) Tudor Pro Cycling

Row 32 – Cell 2

34

Jacob Bush (GBr) Development Team Picnic Postnl

Row 33 – Cell 2

35

Ethan Dunham (USA) Aps Pro Cycling By Team Cadence Cyclery

Row 34 – Cell 2

36

Sebastian Vestergaard

Row 35 – Cell 2

37

Jake Stewart (GBr) NSN Cycling Team

Row 36 – Cell 2

38

Lennert Teugels (Bel) Tarteletto- Isorex

Row 37 – Cell 2

39

Arne Santy (Bel) Tarteletto- Isorex

Row 38 – Cell 2

40

Yannis Voisard (Swi) Tudor Pro Cycling

Row 39 – Cell 2

41

Gianni Marchand (Bel) Tarteletto- Isorex

0:03:23

42

Samuel Florez Garces (Col) Modern Adventure

Row 41 – Cell 2

43

Brody Mcdonald (USA) Modern Adventure

Row 42 – Cell 2

44

Ward Vanhoof (Bel) Team Flanders- Baloise

Row 43 – Cell 2

45

Teodor De Luca (Swe) Lucky Sport Cycling Team

0:03:27

46

Mikkel Norsgaard Bjerg (Den) UAE Team Emirates-XRG

0:03:28

47

Brem Deman (Bel) Team Flanders- Baloise

Row 46 – Cell 2

48

Frank Aron Ragilo (Est) Lucky Sport Cycling Team

0:03:30

49

Noé Ury (Lux) Team Storck- Mrw Bau

Row 48 – Cell 2

50

Kristians Belohvosciks (Lat) Bike Aid

Row 49 – Cell 2

51

Axel Bouquet (Fra) St Michel- Preference Home- Auber93

Row 50 – Cell 2

52

Ian Lopez De San Roman (USA) Modern Adventure

Row 51 – Cell 2

53

Oliver Mattheis (Ger) Bike Aid

Row 52 – Cell 2

54

Conn Mc Dunphy (Irl) Aps Pro Cycling By Team Cadence Cyclery

Row 53 – Cell 2

55

Tomáš Přidal (Cze) Team United Shipping

Row 54 – Cell 2

56

Thomas Champion (Fra) St Michel- Preference Home- Auber93

Row 55 – Cell 2

57

János Zsombor Pelikán (Hun) Team United Shipping

0:03:34

58

Connor Swift (GBr) Netcompany Ineos

0:03:41

59

Erik Fetter (Hun) Team United Shipping

Row 58 – Cell 2

60

William Smith

Row 59 – Cell 2

61

Robin Donzé (Swi) Tudor Pro Cycling

Row 60 – Cell 2

62

Hjalmar Klyver (Swe) Lucky Sport Cycling Team

0:03:52

63

Marcus Sander Hansen (Den) Bhs-Pl Beton Bornholm

Row 62 – Cell 2

64

Andrew Lydic (USA) Aps Pro Cycling By Team Cadence Cyclery

0:03:56

65

Oliver Wood

0:04:11

66

Mark Stewart (GBr) Modern Adventure

Row 65 – Cell 2

67

Robin Kull (Swi) Team Storck- Mrw Bau

0:04:13

68

Riley Pickrell (Can) Modern Adventure

0:04:16

69

Ryan Mullen (Irl) NSN Cycling Team

Row 68 – Cell 2

70

Dion Allan Smith (NZl) NSN Cycling Team

Row 69 – Cell 2

71

Petr Kelemen (Cze) Tudor Pro Cycling

Row 70 – Cell 2

72

Benoit Cosnefroy (Fra) UAE Team Emirates-XRG

0:04:25

73

Pascal Eenkhoorn (Ned) Soudal-QuickStep

Row 72 – Cell 2

74

Ben Swift (GBr) Netcompany Ineos

Row 73 – Cell 2

75

Dylan Van Baarle (Ned) Soudal-QuickStep

Row 74 – Cell 2

76

Felix Grossschartner (Aut) UAE Team Emirates-XRG

Row 75 – Cell 2

77

Laurenz Rex (Bel) Soudal-QuickStep

Row 76 – Cell 2

78

Tim Merlier (Bel) Soudal-QuickStep

Row 77 – Cell 2

79

Jonah Killy (USA) Tarteletto- Isorex

Row 78 – Cell 2

80

Matthew Bostock

Row 79 – Cell 2

81

Olav Kooij (Ned) Decathlon CMA CGM

0:04:39

82

Stan Dewulf (Bel) Decathlon CMA CGM

0:04:44

83

Cees Bol (Ned) Decathlon CMA CGM

0:04:45

84

Alvaro Sagrado Perez (Spa) Team Storck- Mrw Bau

0:05:01

85

Matthew Walls (GBr) Team Storck- Mrw Bau

0:05:48

86

Romain Cardis (Fra) St Michel- Preference Home- Auber93

0:05:56

87

Kamil Małecki (Pol) Pinarello-Q36.5

0:05:57

88

Simen Evertsen-Hegreberg (Nor) Lucky Sport Cycling Team

0:06:01

89

Sam Welsford (Aus) Netcompany Ineos

0:06:08

90

Matteo Moschetti (Ita) Pinarello-Q36.5

Row 89 – Cell 2

91

Sam Bennett (Irl) Pinarello-Q36.5

Row 90 – Cell 2

92

Oscar Schempp (Ger) Bike Aid

0:07:06

93

Émilien Jacquelin

0:08:54

94

Michal Schuran (Cze) Team United Shipping

0:09:18

95

Timothy Dupont (Bel) Tarteletto- Isorex

Row 94 – Cell 2

96

Karl Hall

Row 95 – Cell 2

97

Veljko Stojnić (Srb) Team United Shipping

Row 96 – Cell 2

98

Lennard Sternsdorff (Ger) Bike Aid

Row 97 – Cell 2

99

Victor Vidal (Fra) Bike Aid

Row 98 – Cell 2

100

Adam Lewis (GBr) Aps Pro Cycling By Team Cadence Cyclery

Row 99 – Cell 2

101

Ronan O Connor (Irl) Aps Pro Cycling By Team Cadence Cyclery

Row 100 – Cell 2

102

Schandorff Emil Iwersen (Den) Bhs-Pl Beton Bornholm

Row 101 – Cell 2

103

Ethan Vernon (GBr) NSN Cycling Team

0:09:28

104

Artem Shmidt (USA) Netcompany Ineos

Row 103 – Cell 2

105

Victor Johannsen (Den) Bhs-Pl Beton Bornholm

0:16:32

106

Jakob Neumann (Ger) Team Storck- Mrw Bau

Row 105 – Cell 2

107

Røjbek Asger Sørensen (Den) Bhs-Pl Beton Bornholm

Row 106 – Cell 2

108

Cian Keogh (Irl) Aps Pro Cycling By Team Cadence Cyclery

Row 107 – Cell 2

Swipe to scroll horizontally

GC standings after stage 1

Position

Rider (Country) Team

Time Gap

1

Lewis Askey (GBr) NSN Cycling Team

4:02:31

2

Filippo Ganna (Ita) Netcompany Ineos

0:00:09

3

Tim Wellens (Bel) UAE Team Emirates – XRG

0:00:11

4

Daan Hoole (Ned) Decathlon CMA CGM Team

0:00:20

5

Matteo Trentin (Ita) Tudor Pro Cycling Team

0:00:21

6

Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Soudal Quick-Step

0:00:22

7

Florian Vermeersch (Bel) UAE Team Emirates – XRG

0:00:24

8

Elliot Rowe (GBr) Great Britain

0:00:32

9

Paul Wright (NZl) Tudor Pro Cycling Team

Row 8 – Cell 2

10

Rick Pluimers (Ned) Modern Adventure Pro Cycling

0:00:39

11

Kim Heiduk (Ger) Netcompany INEOS

0:01:08

12

Mark Donovan (GBr) Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team

0:02:19

13

Nils Politt (Ger) UAE Team Emirates – XRG

0:02:22

14

Ben Wiggins (GBr) Great Britain

0:02:28

15

Robbe Ghys (Bel) Decathlon CMA CGM Team

0:02:44

16

Fabio Christen (Swi) Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team

0:03:30

17

Elias Maris (Bel) Team Flanders – Baloise

Row 16 – Cell 2

18

Yohann Simon (Fra) St Michel – Preference Home – Auber93

Row 17 – Cell 2

19

Alessandro Pinarello (Ita) NSN Cycling Team

Row 18 – Cell 2

20

Boas Lysgaard (Den) BHS – PL Beton Bornholm

Row 19 – Cell 2

21

Dylan Vandenstorme (Bel) Team Flanders – Baloise

Row 20 – Cell 2

22

Siebe Deweirdt (Bel) Team Flanders – Baloise

Row 21 – Cell 2

23

Xandro Meurisse (Bel) Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team

Row 22 – Cell 2

24

Axel Källberg (Fin) Lucky Sport Cycling Team

Row 23 – Cell 2

25

Edgar David Cadena (Mex) Team Storck – MRW Bau

Row 24 – Cell 2

26

Yorben Lauryssen (Bel) Tarteletto – Isorex

Row 25 – Cell 2

27

Théo Delacroix (Fra) St Michel – Preference Home – Auber93

Row 26 – Cell 2

28

Henri Vandenabeele (Bel) Team Flanders – Baloise

Row 27 – Cell 2

29

Ilan Van Wilder (Bel) Soudal Quick-Step

Row 28 – Cell 2

30

Vilmer Ekman (Swe) Lucky Sport Cycling Team

Row 29 – Cell 2

31

Lucas Bénéteau (Fra) St Michel – Preference Home – Auber93

Row 30 – Cell 2

32

Nikiforos Arvanitou (Gre) Team United Shipping

Row 31 – Cell 2

33

Jacob Eriksson (Swe) Tudor Pro Cycling Team

Row 32 – Cell 2

34

Jacob Bush (GBr) Great Britain

Row 33 – Cell 2

35

Ethan Dunham (USA) APS Pro Cycling by Team Cadence Cyclery

Row 34 – Cell 2

36

Sebastian Vestergaard (Den) BHS – PL Beton Bornholm

Row 35 – Cell 2

37

Jake Stewart (GBr) NSN Cycling Team

Row 36 – Cell 2

38

Lennert Teugels (Bel) Tarteletto – Isorex

Row 37 – Cell 2

39

Arne Santy (Bel) Tarteletto – Isorex

Row 38 – Cell 2

40

Yannis Voisard (Swi) Tudor Pro Cycling Team

Row 39 – Cell 2

41

Gianni Marchand (Bel) Tarteletto – Isorex

0:03:36

42

Samuel Flórez (Col) Modern Adventure Pro Cycling

Row 41 – Cell 2

43

Brody McDonald (USA) Modern Adventure Pro Cycling

Row 42 – Cell 2

44

Ward Vanhoof (Bel) Team Flanders – Baloise

Row 43 – Cell 2

45

Teodor De Luca (Swe) Lucky Sport Cycling Team

0:03:40

46

Mikkel Bjerg (Den) UAE Team Emirates – XRG

0:03:41

47

Brem Deman (Bel) Team Flanders – Baloise

Row 46 – Cell 2

48

Frank Aron Ragilo (Est) Lucky Sport Cycling Team

0:03:43

49

Noé Ury (Lux) Team Storck – MRW Bau

Row 48 – Cell 2

50

Kristiāns Belohvoščiks (Lat) BIKE AID

Row 49 – Cell 2

51

Axel Bouquet (Fra) St Michel – Preference Home – Auber93

Row 50 – Cell 2

52

Ian López (USA) Modern Adventure Pro Cycling

Row 51 – Cell 2

53

Oliver Mattheis (Ger) BIKE AID

Row 52 – Cell 2

54

Conn McDunphy (Irl) APS Pro Cycling by Team Cadence Cyclery

Row 53 – Cell 2

55

Tomáš Přidal (Cze) Team United Shipping

Row 54 – Cell 2

56

Thomas Champion (Fra) St Michel – Preference Home – Auber93

Row 55 – Cell 2

57

János Pelikán (Hun) Team United Shipping

0:03:47

58

Connor Swift (GBr) Netcompany INEOS

0:03:54

59

Erik Fetter (Hun) Team United Shipping

Row 58 – Cell 2

60

William Smith (GBr) Great Britain

Row 59 – Cell 2

61

Robin Donzé (Swi) Tudor Pro Cycling Team

Row 60 – Cell 2

62

Hjalmar Klyver (Swe) Lucky Sport Cycling Team

0:04:05

63

Marcus Sander Hansen (Den) BHS – PL Beton Bornholm

Row 62 – Cell 2

64

Andrew Lydic (USA) APS Pro Cycling by Team Cadence Cyclery

0:04:09

65

Oliver Wood (GBr) Great Britain

0:04:24

66

Mark Stewart (GBr) Modern Adventure Pro Cycling

Row 65 – Cell 2

67

Robin Kull (Swi) Team Storck – MRW Bau

0:04:26

68

Riley Pickrell (Can) Modern Adventure Pro Cycling

0:04:29

69

Ryan Mullen (Irl) NSN Cycling Team

Row 68 – Cell 2

70

Dion Smith (NZl) NSN Cycling Team

Row 69 – Cell 2

71

Petr Kelemen (Cze) Tudor Pro Cycling Team

Row 70 – Cell 2

72

Benoît Cosnefroy (Fra) UAE Team Emirates – XRG

0:04:38

73

Pascal Eenkhoorn (Ned) Soudal Quick-Step

Row 72 – Cell 2

74

Ben Swift (GBr) Netcompany INEOS

Row 73 – Cell 2

75

Dylan van Baarle (Ned) Soudal Quick-Step

Row 74 – Cell 2

76

Felix Großschartner (Aut) UAE Team Emirates – XRG

Row 75 – Cell 2

77

Laurenz Rex (Bel) Soudal Quick-Step

Row 76 – Cell 2

78

Tim Merlier (Bel) Soudal Quick-Step

Row 77 – Cell 2

79

Jonah Killy (USA) Tarteletto – Isorex

Row 78 – Cell 2

80

Matthew Bostock (GBr) Great Britain

Row 79 – Cell 2

81

Olav Kooij (Ned) Decathlon CMA CGM Team

0:04:52

82

Stan Dewulf (Bel) Decathlon CMA CGM Team

0:04:57

83

Cees Bol (Ned) Decathlon CMA CGM Team

0:04:58

84

Alvaro Sagrado (Spa) Team Storck – MRW Bau

0:05:14

85

Matthew Walls (GBr) Team Storck – MRW Bau

0:06:01

86

Romain Cardis (Fra) St Michel – Preference Home – Auber93

0:06:09

87

Kamil Małecki (Pol) Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team

0:06:10

88

Simen Evertsen-Hegreberg (Nor) Lucky Sport Cycling Team

0:06:11

89

Sam Welsford (Aus) Netcompany INEOS

0:06:21

90

Matteo Moschetti (Ita) Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team

Row 89 – Cell 2

91

Sam Bennett (Irl) Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team

Row 90 – Cell 2

92

Oscar Schempp (Ger) BIKE AID

0:07:18

93

Émilien Jacquelin (Fra) Decathlon CMA CGM Team

0:09:07

94

Michal Schuran (Cze) Team United Shipping

0:09:29

95

Timothy Dupont (Bel) Tarteletto – Isorex

0:09:31

96

Karl Hall (GBr) BIKE AID

Row 95 – Cell 2

97

Veljko Stojnić (Srb) Team United Shipping

Row 96 – Cell 2

98

Lennard Sternsdorff (Ger) BIKE AID

Row 97 – Cell 2

99

Victor Vidal (Fra) BIKE AID

Row 98 – Cell 2

100

Adam Lewis (GBr) APS Pro Cycling by Team Cadence Cyclery

Row 99 – Cell 2

101

Ronan O’Connor (Irl) APS Pro Cycling by Team Cadence Cyclery

Row 100 – Cell 2

102

Emil Schandorff Iwersen (Den) BHS – PL Beton Bornholm

Row 101 – Cell 2

103

Ethan Vernon (GBr) NSN Cycling Team

0:09:41

104

Artem Shmidt (USA) Netcompany INEOS

Row 103 – Cell 2

105

Victor Johannsen (Den) BHS – PL Beton Bornholm

0:16:45

106

Jakob Neumann (Ger) Team Storck – MRW Bau

Row 105 – Cell 2

107

Asger Røjbek Sørensen (Den) BHS – PL Beton Bornholm

Row 106 – Cell 2

108

Cian Keogh (Irl) APS Pro Cycling by Team Cadence Cyclery

Row 107 – Cell 2